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Writer's pictureLindsay Johnson
Dec 23, 20245 min read

Advice for Small Business Owners from Small Business Owners


Starting a small business is an exciting journey filled with opportunities and challenges. While there are countless resources available, sometimes the best advice for small business owners comes directly from those who have walked the path before us.


Read on for invaluable insights and practical entrepreneur tips from small business owners just like you. Their experiences can help guide you through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, making your journey a little smoother.


(Hint: My tough-love piece of advice is at the bottom)


Let’s dive into some of the best advice for small business owners that can help you thrive.



 
Karolina Wudniak is a white woman with long brown hair wearing glasses and looking at the camera with a cheeky smile while working from her laptop.

"Define goals and commit to the strategies tied to them, allowing enough time to test if they're working. However, don’t hesitate to pivot if something isn’t working or to reassess your goals when needed. And above all, be gentle and compassionate with yourself throughout this process. We all learn and grow along the way, and there's no reason your business has to be perfect!"


Karolina Wudniak, Book Designer

 
A bright pink graphic featuring Lindsay Johnson, a white nonbinary person with short brown hair in a pink floral blazer. They're pointing at the words Goal Setting Diversity: Goal setting strategies optimized for your brain and lifestyle. This graphic is promoting a workshop replay.

Watch my Goal Setting Diversity workshop replay and get goal-setting strategies optimized for your brain and lifestyle



 
Kristin Hartingan from Square Key Digital is a nonbinary white person with short brain hair in glasses. They are smiling at the camera in front of their balcony doors with sunlight pouring in an a thriving green plant on the coffee table behind them.

"Absolutely everything is written in pencil. You can always erase and begin again. This especially holds true for entrepreneurs who often get tripped up with the "perfection" mindset. Nothing has to be "perfect" (if that is even an actual thing...) it just has to be done. You can always tweak, learn, and iterate. THAT is what entrepreneurship is."


Kristin Hartigan, Square Key Digital 


 
Chavisa Horemans, founder of The Mother Corp, is a white woman with a funky mullet featuring shaved brown hair on the sides, long in the back, and a fauxhawk on top. She's wearing glasses, pink liptsick, a cream coloured open collared shirt and silver necklace.


"1. Do the parts you don’t want to do.


2. Savour the joy of branding."


Chavisa Horemans, The Mother Corp








 
Isabel Chen, founder of Fairy Fox Digital, in an Asian woman with shoulder length brown and red hair. She's wearing a yellow leather jacket over a white and orange floral dress sitting atop a white desk holding her cell phone.

"If you're feeling like you're juggling too many things in your business, take a break. No checking emails, no social media 'comparison-itis'. Better still, do a weekend getaway if you can. You'll come back feeling refreshed and excited to work on your business." 


Isabel Chen, Fairy Fox Digital


 
Jennifer Lloyd, founder of Eat for Living, is a white woman with short dark hair with a fashionable whisp of grey swooping through her bangs. She's wearing glasses, a black dress, long chunky necklace and holding a bright red apple.

"Trust in your unique gifts—they’re meant to be shared with the world. Your passion and talents have the power to make a real difference in someone’s life. And who knows? That someone might go on to change the world. My lofty aspiration is to help some of the brightest minds overcome their health challenges, so they can focus on making their own incredible mark on the world."


Jennifer Lloyd, Eat for Living


 
Emry Kettle is a white nonbinary person laughing brightly while standing outside in the sunshine in a white summer dress and wide brimmed yellow hat.



"You don't need to be "ready" to do the next thing, you just need to actually try it out."


Emry Kettle, Parent Coach & Child Behavior Specialist







 
Melanie Hutchison, founder of Less Mess Clutter Coaching, is a white woman with long blonde hair and glasses. She's sitting on a chair in a black blazer smiling at the camera.

"Someone told me it was ok to start my business imperfectly. That part of my offering was about removing judgement from a situation around decluttering and home care tasks, and I needed to give myself my own grace around self judgement. This is the one thing that allowed me to brave enough to launch, with just an ok website for example."


Melanie Hutchison, Less Mess Declutter Coaching

 
Karina Winston, founder of The Budget Doctor, is a Black woman with short black hair smiling at the camera while sitting on her cream coloured couch. She's wearing a cream one-piece outfit with black glasses and big chunky black earrings.

"Think about the most painful life experiences I’ve had and how I’ve grown from them and turn them into stories to connect with people. And yep it 100% works.  Authenticity shines through vulnerability and attracts the right people like a magnet."


Karina Winston, The Budget Doctor



 

Lyda Michopoulou, founder of Unwrapped Evolutions, is a white woman with red, curly hair and bright red lipstick. She's sitting on her green couch in a blue suit with books stacked up beside her.

"Ditch the social media if I wanted to get leads!"


Lyda Michopoulou, Unwrapped Evolutions








 

Gale Bates, founder of My Mentor Biz, is a white woman with short blonde hair and bright red glasses. She is sitting at her desk next to a green plant holding up their goal setting workbook and speaking into a black microphone.

"The best business advice I got this year was from you, Lindsay. Start interviewing entrepreneurs on my YouTube channel.  It has been a great success and with your guidance my channel is growing and I'm hoping to monetize it in the first quarter of 2025." 


Gale Bates, My Mentor Biz

 
Lindsay Johnson live on YouTube for their monthly Entrepreneur Shop Talk. They are a white, nonbinary person with short brown hair. They're wearing a black turtleneck sweater with big pink flowers and bright pink lipstick. They are in front of a book case full of books and green plants speaking into their microphone while answer a question shared on screen.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel and join me live for Entrepreneurial Shop Talks every month!




 
Tina Presta, founder of Valley and Ember, is a white woman with shoulder length dark blonde hair. She's smiling brightly at the camera in a shite t-shirt and opened blue button down holding on of her candles.

"There is an audience out there that wants exactly what you are offering. Stay the course and build on your foundation.  Keep it authentic and hold your vision."


Tina Presta, Valley and Ember







 
Mandy Brown is a white woman with long brown hair and glasses. She's wearing a pink shirt and black blazer standing in front of a purple background.

"Entrepreneurship is a lot like teaching. The first year you have no idea what you’re doing, you’re just surviving. The second year, you think you got the hang of it, and you’re experimenting. But you’re still kinda all over the place. And then the third, you got the hang of it. You’re still experimenting, but it’s future-focused."


Mandy Brown, Radical Self-care



 
Jenn Wint, founder of Wint Communications, is a white woman with long brown hair. She's leaning against a blue door wearing a black t-shirt and smiling brightly at the camera

"The best tip I got is to focus on authentic, vulnerable, human stories. With so much automation these days, people want to relate to brands, founders and service providers through real connection, not something spit from AI. Heart-centred stories with the realities of real life mixed in offer genuine connections which are what lead to sales and success."


 
Nicole Nault, founder of Access Designs, is a white woman with long red hair. She's standing at a desk typing on her laptop smiling at the camera.

"Hustle culture isn't the only way to be successful, and success means different things to different people, so define success to you and if the typical hustle culture isn't for you, that is ok, there is a community out there to support you. This meant a lot to hear.  It validated what I knew inside but I guess needed to hear it was ok. Success to me doesn't mean I need to become a millionaire.  I just want to be able to support my family with true work life balance." - Nicole Nault, Access Designs

 
Brittney Ashley, founder of Creative Dynamics Virtual Services, is a Metis woman with shoulder length blonde hair. She's standing against a white wall in a black shirt and light blue blazer smiling brightly into the camera.

“Follow your gut, stay true to your values, and let go of the need to please everyone. Not everyone will agree with your decisions, and that’s okay—what matters is that you’re being authentically you.”






 
Lindsay Johnson, the founder of The Radical Connector, is a white, nonbinary person with short brown hair. They are sitting on a counter in front of a window smiling wide in jeans and a pink floral blazer and blouse.

"Perfection and people-pleasing are not virtuous characteristics; they will slow your business growth, block deep connection in your relationships, and keep you spinning your wheels performing for others. Lean into the messy middle of getting your business off the ground. And say no to the people, opportunities, and business strategies that don't work for you! It's your business and you get to do it your way." - Lindsay Johnson, The Radical Connector


 
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Join my email list and I'll send you my Ick-Free Sales Scripts with 40+ questions to get a feel-good sales journey started!








 

The Key Takeaway for Advice for Small Business Owners


Starting a small business is an adventure unlike any other. The journey is filled with learning curves, moments of doubt, and incredible opportunities for growth. The small business tips shared by these small business owners underscore a universal truth: there is no single path to success.


Whether it's staying true to your values, embracing imperfection, or leaning into authentic storytelling, the most meaningful lessons often come from the lived experiences of others. Take these insights to heart, adapt them to your unique journey, and remember that entrepreneurship is as much about personal growth as it is about building a business.


Keep moving forward, and trust that your passion and perseverance will pave the way.

Get My Ick-free Sales Scripts

Never panic or clam up again when it's time to talk sales!​ 20 common sales scenarios and 40+ consent-based scripts to get a feel-good sales conversation started.

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